QUIZ — Cal Ripken Jr. has annually led his position in games played. But with a few DL stops last season, Ripken only started 85 games at third. Which AL third baseman started the most games? (Answer below.)

WHEN Dan O’Dowd took over as Rockie GM last month, he saw good players, but a bad mix. He determined a need to create “payroll flexibility” by moving bulky salaries and restructuring the team philosophy away from high-altitude bash to one centered on athletic outfielders to cover Coors Field’s great expanse and a pitching staff high on bullpen diversity and arms either filled with power sinkers or pinpoint accuracy.

So far he is GM of this winter. By moving original Rockies Dante Bichette and Curtis Leskanic, team single-season save leader Dave Veres and last year’s Opening Day starter Darryl Kile, O’Dowd has shown a can-do dispassion while saving the organization $9.5 million.

By bringing in Jeffrey Hammonds, he has added one athletic outfielder. Stan Belinda, Rich Croushore and Mike Myers offer bullpen variety. Manny Aybar and Jose Jimenez are youngsters with power arms. He is not done. He wants to add another athletic outfielder, maybe Rondell White from Montreal. Third baseman Vinny Castilla (the last remaining original Rockie) could be used in that trade or possibly to obtain pitching elsewhere (Tampa Bay’s Rolando Arrojo, Los Angeles’ Ismael Valdes?). Colorado also is a big player for Japanese lefty Kimiyasa Kudo.

As an Indian executive, O’Dowd was instrumental in Cleveland’s success in developing talent, signing that talent to reasonable, long-term deals and showing a willingness to make bold moves. He brings that to the Rockies. The missing ingredient in Cleveland was always top-flight pitching. That element will be even harder to produce in Colorado’s light air. Ultimately, O’Dowd probably will be judged by whether he’s able to create a staff that can exist a Mile High.

“I don’t want to make a blanket statement that a free-agent pitcher won’t come here,” O’Dowd said. “But clearly we will have to make good trades for pitchers and develop our own.”

CUB GM Ed Lynch said he expects Kerry Wood to begin working off a mound no later than the first week of December, and that it is feasible the 1998 NL Rookie of the Year will be in the rotation when the season begins. Wood missed last season following elbow surgery and has returned to playing catch the last two months. …

Ask a major-league executive who will get Ken Griffey Jr., get a theory. Here are the most common thoughts summarized in order of popularity:

1) The Braves will get Griffey because that is where he wants to go, they will be patient and wait until the price comes down, and they have the most to offer.

2) The Reds will get Griffey because they want him the most and will give in with the best package, and their GM, Jim Bowden, feels his legacy will be sealed if he brings the Cincy native home.

3) The Yanks will get Griffey because they are the Yanks and they always get this type of player.

4) The Mets will get Griffey because when everyone else falls down their package will be the most creative.

“They are my darkhorse,” one NL exec said.

My darkhorses are Houston and St. Louis. …

The Yankees are as popular as ever. Want proof? They will open Houston’s new Enron Field and San Francisco’s Pac Bell Park to close next spring’s exhibition schedule. …

Former replacement players Benny Agbayani and Rick Reed once again petitioned the union last week to be reinstated. It remains unlikely that the union will forgive, forget and allow the replacements back into the fold. …